This was the exact opposite of okay. 

DNF’d at 57% 

I just couldn’t force myself to finish this one. I was expecting a great feminist read that I wanted to love, but this really fell flat for me. 

I had zero connection or empathy for the MC Izzy, I found her callous and arrogant, with an attempt to hide this behind bad humour. The concept of the novel being blog posts I found intriguing but again, this fell flat for me. It was difficult and choppy to read and I just couldn’t jel with the format. 

The novel does draw attention to the hypocrisy of the way women are treated when it comes to how they express their sexuality, in comparison to men and this is the only positive for me.

I absolutely loved this wonderful book even though I am significantly older than its target audience and I would not usually to read this genre of book.
I do occasional like to read YA books to keep in touch with what my nieces and children’s friends are reading and so that I can make recommendations, discuss books with them and of course buy presents (knowing beforehand whether or not they are suitable).
I would certainly say I will buying this one for my 15 and a half year old niece and possibly my 13 year godson in the next twelve months.
The reason why I will be buying this books is because it raises such important issues about growing up, changing friend groups, the different ways society treats boys and girls (and men and women) when it comes to their sex lives (men still seen as ‘players’ while girls are still ‘slut shamed’. 
Also, it deals with the importance of ensuring teens know the dangers of sharing explicit photos and learn about cyber security and what can go wrong if relationships turn sour.
The story is told through the blog entries of the main character of 18 year old Izzy. She is like most teenagers with the usual problems, but is different to many of her contemporaries as she comes from a poorer background having been raised by her grandmother following the deaths of her parents when she was very young.
The events that happen to her in the book highlight other differences between her and her friends and deal with the issues I’ve mentioned above in an honest, sensitive and at times very emotional way. But at most times Izzy’s wonderful sense of humour continues to shine through.
Thank you to NetGalley for an advance Kindle Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I’d highly recommend this book to all YA (mature younger readers (with a caveat there is swearing and obviously sexual references)) and older readers who enjoy a nice light read on this important topic. It certainly took me back to my younger days and made me very grateful technology was not so widely used so we were not faced with such challenging issues.

Wow, what a fantastic read - I devoured this book so fast!  Laura Steven has wonderfully written a story of such importance that it needs to be read by absolutely everyone, men AND women. The message it sends informs readers in a fun blog-style way of the issues many people face in everyday life (including slut-shaming, privilege, racism, cyber-bullying...), and this highlights the changes we so desperately need in people's attitudes towards them. The author has interpreted the problem in such an interesting and fun way, and that's through the strong, witty and courageous protagonist Izzy. She is truly inspiring to read about and stood up for her herself when nobody else would, except for her hilarious grandma Betty and spunky best friend Ajita.
With a compelling set of side characters, humorous comments and inner thoughts from Izzy, this socially conscious story will be talked about, enjoyed and recommended to many people, and so it should.

Izzy is a wannabe comic, a poor orphan who lives with her kooky grandma, and a massive slut. Or rather, that's what a malicious website is telling everyone. And it's getting harder to ignore the situation when photos of her with a politician's son put her slap bang in the middle of a national scandal. 

I love me a socially conscious YA book, which this definitely is. Addressing slut shaming, feminism, racism and plenty more besides, this is a book with a great message wrapped up in a funny and poignant wrapper. Written mainly as private blog entries, Izzy is a hilarious narrator and her back and forth conversations with both her grandmother, Betty, and her best friend Ajita are a joy to read. Not only is she hilarious, she actually felt like a really real teenager - which I don't feel is always the case in YA. She's equal parts confident in herself and a mess of insecurities. She doesn't act perfectly but her heart is in the right place, and she certainly doesn't deserve what happens to her at the hands of her anonymous assailant. 

You really go on a journey with Izzy over the course of this book, as she faces the challenges thrown her way, and you feel it all with her - the despair and distress and anger and injustice. It's scarily realistic to consider how easily this could happen - the media circus around a teenage girl exactly just like a teenage girl. It's really a great read.

Izzy made me think of an older, American and orphaned Georgia Nicholson. The humour and tone were very similar and as a huge fan of the Georgia Nicholson series, I loved the voice. It's funny and sarcastic. The story deals with very hot topics: slut shaming and revenge porn and does so in a way that I haven't really come across yet due to Izzy's great tone of voice.

Growing up in a social medi world where your every move and act can be recorded, broadcast and commented upon, I hope this story will show teenagers how quickly things can escalate. It also shows makes sure to show that a girl's body is her own and she should be able to do whatever she wants with it (as long as it doesn't hurt anyone) without being judged and ostracised.

All in all a great book. The only criticism would be that it does get a little preachy towards the end.

Izzy owns her sexuality in this book. She is slut shamed and pushed to rock bottom as everyone hurls shit at her, but with the help of her possibly queer Hindu best friend, a sexy brown-skinned love interest, and a new friend in a wheelchair, she manages to take the reader on this journey where my soul was passed through a cheese grater and yet I am thankful. Coz Izzy is so cool and this book is full of powerful messages without being preachy. Guys, READ THIS BOOK 

Laura Steven has woven this narrative so beautifully I raced through Izzy's story with my heart sinking lower than I thought possible, yet feeling Izzy's strength and sharing in her resilience. Peppered throughout with writing tips and brimming with hilarious commentary, Izzy is the best friend I wish I had.

Thank you Laura for this amazing book. Thank you netgalley and the publishers for the honour of reading such a work of art. It has been a while since I was so invested in any character.

So this has gone straight in as my favourite book of all time. 

"If people cared more about being kind than being successful, the world would be a much better place" 

Ok so there is no way for me to write this review without being incredibly personal but oh my God I wish Izzy O'Neill had been around when I was at school. I relate to her on so many levels it's almost scary. I genuinely believe that this book will change the way 'sluts' are viewed and am ready to proudly declare my love for this book to anyone who will listen. And those who aren't interested because they need this. Everyone needs this. 

So here we go, when I was in school I was slut shamed. Mostly by some of my 'friends' (lol at my terrible teenage friendship choices) for sleeping with my boyfriend. It wasn't as extreme as Izzy's experience and there were no pictures making the rounds. I wouldn't say I was harassed or even necessarily bullied but it happened and it was embarrassing and the people who shamed me were so incredibly sly about it that they made me think they were concerned not just being awful people. A lot of time has now gone by and I no longer speak to any of those people but oh my word did this book take me back to that time. I was also taken to one side by a teacher (middle aged man) who told me that I was too young and needed to stop having sex. 

Thinking back on all of this makes me so angry, but I never stood up for myself because the shame is so real and so difficult to explain to someone who has never been in the situation. 

I get that this book may be a little polarising and maybe Izzy isn't everyone's cup of tea but honestly if this book had been around at the time I was being shamed for having sex with my boyfriend I think it would have given me far much more confidence to stand up to the bullshit and call it out. 

On top of the very personal connection I felt with Izzy and her situation, this book is so much more. The social commentary is exceptional, with discussions surrounding the 'nice guy', slut shaming (obviously), feminism in general, LGBT issues, multiculturalism & many more. Izzy is an orphan so there's also the undercurrent of her being raised by her grandmother and the guilt that both of them feel about the situation. I loved the discussions about the role of Izzy's school and the way they reacted. 

It's also hilarious. I think I literally laughed on every page, Izzy & Ajita are just my kind of people I guess. And when I wasn't laughing, it had me in tears or absolutely raging with anger at the injustice of it all. 

The only issue I had was that is was incredibly obvious right from the get go who set the website up- although I had moments where I doubted myself, it was very clear all the way through.

I was fully willing to break my book buying ban for a physical copy of this. I was going to argue my case for buying it to my friend but she's the best and is getting it for me so the ban is still in place because you just need a copy of your favourite book right? (That is a rhetorical question, of course you do)

I first want to start out with the beginning of this book, Izzy our main character is talking to you the reader about how her story happened. Its told in a very humorous way and was hooked from the witty remarks. All throughout I found myself laughing at different scenes and think Laura Steven did a really good job on making sure that she kept the story lighthearted even though this book does deal with heavy topics.

This book does delve into serious and heartbreaking scenarios and you really do feel for the main protagonist, Especially when you realize that this does happen in our society and not just in books. It really does show through, Deeper into the story how Izzy as a character is trying to cope with all this attention and how it is affecting her and the people around her.

There is a trigger warning for Slut Shaming, Mental Health and reference to suicide

I really did enjoy this book from the laughing fits to feeling emotional and back to ugly laughing but mostly from the array of issues that were mentioned from Slut shaming, Race to Equality. I would recommended this book to everyone with the exception of trigger warnings.

This is one of those books which just clicked right away for me.

Izzy is an amazing narrator: she’s funny, she’s sensitive – in her own way – and she just reads like a teenage girl. I immediately connected with her and her life: the way she uses comedy to shield herself from things, the way family means more to her than throwing everything into a pipe dream. It’s odd to get that narrative in a book – usually, it’s all ‘follow your dreams’, no matter the consequences. I liked that Izzy had ambitions, but also at her core wanted to take care of her Grandma Betty, who’d worked really hard to look after Izzy after her parents died.

At a party one night, Izzy has sex with two boys, one who happens to be a local politician’s son, and someone takes pictures and suddenly everyone knows about it. While Izzy is called a slut and degraded at every opportunity, there’s little to no fall out for the boys involved. And, as Izzy says, that is the exact opposite of okay.

This is such a current topic, with talks about revenge porn, consent and feminism featuring prominently in the media at the moment. My favourite thing about it was that Izzy constantly affirms to herself that she did nothing wrong. Despite everyone’s opinions about it – and everyone is more than ready to share those opinions – there’s nothing wrong with being a girl and enjoying sex and having sex with multiple partners. If that’s what you want to do, as long as you’re safe about it, that should be fine. It’s fine when we talk about guys doing it. So why is it that when a girl does it, she’s branded a slut and told she should kill herself?

This book happily sits alongside some of my favourite feminist young adult books, including The Spinster Trilogy by Holly Bourne as well as books that deal with consent and treatment of girls, like Asking For It by Louise O’Neill. It’s the kind of book I want to give to my teenage sisters, to inspire them and empower them, because that’s how I felt reading this book. I would have loved this as a teenager.

It’s not all empowerment though – for a funny book, there are some seriously dark and sad moments in this. Even though Izzy tries to hold her head high and let things wash over her, it’s hard when you’re the target of so much hate. I wanted to cry a few times throughout the book because I just felt so bad for Izzy.

There’s also some interesting bits on the ‘friend zone’ and ‘nice guy’ syndrome. You know the type: the ones who have been nice to you, listened to you moan about other boys and been there for you, then suddenly decide that means they’re entitled to your love. It’s interesting the way the nice guy in the story is portrayed, as you can see in his head he is doing things right by Izzy, but from her point of view it’s insulting and creepy and just ruining their friendship. It’s not something I’ve seen in a book before and it’s a great way of pointing out to teens as something to look out for. Remember, you don’t owe guys anything, no matter how ‘nice’ they’ve been to you!

Overall this was just a really fantastic read. It can be uncomfortable and upsetting at points, but sometimes I think the best books are. It will really make you think, make you laugh, and hopefully you’ll come away from it feeling as inspired and empowered as I did.

Told through blog posts, The Exact Opposite of Okay reads as a feminist manifesto for the digital age. Slut-shaming, revenge porn, and the friend-zone all get a thorough examination through Izzy's story and from the very start Izzy knows exactly who is in the wrong in every case, and it isn't her. Although it can feel at times as though the reader is getting hit over the head with a very specific message, these are important messages to tell and it's great to see a female teenage character who is so confident in herself and her own decisions. 

Of course, as Izzy begins to see the negative effects from the website, and as her friendship with Danny begins to slide rapidly downhill thanks to his ever growing Nice Guy routine, her confidence and strength begin to waver, but it would have been unrealistic if they hadn't. The invasion of her privacy and the subsequent reactions from those around her really knock Izzy for six in a way that is crushingly realistic and important to see, but the real heartache comes when Izzy fears she may have accidentally hurt her best friend, Ajita, or embarrassed her grandmother, who supports her unconditionally. These are the things that truly break Izzy's heart, and her sense of humour is such an integral part of both the story and her personality that it is hard not to feel heartbroken too when her devastation breaks through.

Refreshingly for a teen protagonist, Izzy has no real desire to go to college. It's only her and her grandmother at home and, like plenty of real life teenagers, she knows they would never be able to afford a college education for her, and so she throws herself into writing her screenplay instead, hoping that this passion for comedy might be a better way of making a living one day, and in the mean time, it will be something fun to do while she works, and if it's never any more than that, then that's fine too. Izzy is down to earth and realistic but she is also smart and hilarious and if a film written by her was as funny as her blog posts, then I'd watch it in a heartbeat. The messages in this book are certainly important, but the real enjoyment of it comes from that sense of humour and I defy anyone to read The Exact Opposite of Okay and not laugh out loud at least once.

WOW. Such a wonderful book to read. I absolutely loved it. It had me hooked from the beginning. I found the ending so unexpected, it was great. This book addresses important issues and has such great characters that I loved reading about and seeing develop.

I really enjoyed this book. It addressed well some really pertinent issues at the moment, not glorifying them or glossing over them, and did so with a protagonist's voice that was relatable and light-hearted. On the whole, the book was well written, handled issues well, and even ended on a strong note (I particularly enjoyed the final blog posts and how well Steven communicated the issues addressed), although I wasn't 100% sold on the letter - a reaction from Izzy may have been nice. Still, it wasn't suddenly "and everyone realized how insensitive/misogynistic they were being" or "and everyone lived happily ever after", which was a huge relief. However, if I'm honest, there were a couple of comments Izzy made at the beginning of the book that didn't sit well with me, being reflections of behaviour and attitudes she was arguing against men/society displaying towards women, and I was a little disappointed that these were never addressed. Plus, the dead parents point came up A LOT and it got pretty old pretty quickly - I'm not sure teachers/principals would be dragging it up thirteen years after it happened. BUT Steven handles and addresses the topic so well and in such a relatable manner that I think this book will go far - I'll certainly be recommending it around my circles!

For starters this book is really, truly funny and entertaining as well as emotional and powerful – it had me laughing out loud and crying my eyes out. The protagonist Izzy O’Neill is intelligent and witty and the writing style is engaging and realistic. I loved how much the dialogue included sex and swearing and generally normal things for an 18-year old to be saying. Not only that, but it deals with so many issues and themes that are relevant to teenagers today, including slut-shaming, revenge porn, racism, sexism and classism.


Izzy O’Neill tells her story through timed and dated blog post entries in a diary-like style that reminded me of the Georgia Nicholson Books by Lousie O’Rennison which is a huge compliment as I loved those books when I was a teenager. She is an aspiring screen-writer who lives with her grandma Betty, after her parents died in a car crash when she was little. Her life changes when a blog is published detailing her sex life, alongside some indecent images. She is thrust into the limelight when the blog becomes viral as one of the boys she is pictured with is the local republican politican’s son.

Izzy is a really strong character who has a lot of confidence and can see the double standards in the way society treats women and men with regards to sex. The amount of backlash she receives and the negative consequences from having a sex life is completely non-existent for the male characters in the book.

It calls out so well the hypocrisy in a society that demands women to look like sex objects but not act like sluts. It also well and truly destroys the trope that heterosexual men just need to try hard enough and be ‘nice’ enough and they will surely ‘win’ the girl, when of course it doesn’t matter if you are interested in a girl – if they do not return those feelings you have no right to their body or their decisions.

The book also highlights the differences in opportunities given to people from different backgrounds. Izzy’s grandma has to work hard for every penny they have. This means Izzy does not take money for granted and understands the real value of it, unlike her more well-off friend who offers it out without a second thought. It demonstrated really well how those with privilege struggle so much to see they have it. However, Izzy isn’t perfect and she does make some true mistakes in the book but the way she deals with them and learns from them shows some excellent character development.

I loved the secondary characters in this book too and was really happy to see the friendship between Izzy and her best friend Ajita having such a focus. There is a cute romantic subplot but it is minor in comparison. Ajita is supportive and fiercely loyal to Izzy, but they also have arguments and have to overcome things in the book. It was such a great representation of female friendship. I also loved Izzy’s grandma Betty who must be the most understanding grandmother to exist, who stands up for Izzy throughout everything. I also hope high schools everywhere have supportive teachers like Ms Crannon who can help their students see their potential and treat them like the young adults they are.

This book got me so angry about the way things are in society but also got me ready to join the fight against prejudice and discrimination. There is a call to action in this book – to speak up, to call out this behaviour and to stand up for other women instead of tearing them down. I wish I had had this book when I was a teenager so much. It’s the best book I’ve read this year with such important, powerful messages. I want everyone to go and buy it when it comes out on March 8th.

"Basically, if you're a woman, you're damned if you do and damned if you don't."



This book was so brilliantly funny, I found myself unable to put it down and raced through it in a matter of hours.

Full of wit and humour, this follows the story of Izzy, a strong-minded feminist determined to prove people wrong and fight for her beliefs. After a website leaks photos of her in several precarious situations, one of which involving the local politicians son, her life is turned upside down. But Izzy won't let it get to her, right? After all, it's her body, her sex life, so why should other people care?



Handling a variety of topics, it's hard to believe this is a debut novel. Honestly, I fell in love with this book almost instantaneously. Izzy's wit and sarcasm are present from the very first paragraph, and you can't help but laugh as she tells her story. Being stuck in such an awkward situation, Izzy doesn't seem to let it phase her too much. Sure, it sucks, and it's making her life a living hell, but she never falters in her self-belief.

With the main focus being the sex scandal Izzy finds herself a part of, the extent to which other topics are covered really took me by surprise. Orphaned when she was younger, Izzy has been brought up by her grandmother, and when you really look at the major family dynamics littered throughout the novel, several difficult situations are tackled. First and foremost, the difficulty in raising an orphan, whilst earning enough to keep yourself afloat is one of the major plot points. Izzy doesn't want to feel like a charity case, which unfortunately for her, is something that happens way too often (this also links in to the overall story arc and made for a very interesting dynamic between two of the characters). But in addition to her difficult family situation, her friends are also in awkward positions. Take Danny for example, an only child, whose parents are on the verge of separation, or Ajita, brought up in a traditional Indian family and keeping a massive secret.

Sexuality is also covered, with one of the characters still in the closet, and others having no specific sexuality outlined for them. I have to admit, I prefer to think of characters in my own way, never labeling them generically and instead thinking of them as I would anyone else. I never assume. The fluidity of sexuality in this novel was done brilliantly, and although sometimes it felt like it was included just to cover all bases, it never reached the extent to which I've seen before. Nowadays LGBTQ+ characters are almost forced into books, just to make sure you can reach a wider audience, but with Opposite of Okay it wasn't a case of being forced in, just the odd mention every now and then so you wouldn't forget. I know this sounds like I'm complaining, but I'm really not. I adored the inclusion, and thought the way it was handled was fantastic for a debut, never detracting from the main story line. 

But what really stood out for me were the characters and their wonderful personalities. Laura's writing allowed for such diverse people to be created, breathing life into them and making them come off the page in a way that felt refreshing. Izzy's humour was fantastic, and her originality and self-confidence were a nice change to the standard female protagonist you see in contemporary YA. She's not pining after a boy, needing to be rescued, she's fighting female oppression, and holds herself high in the face of adversity. And these are just a few of the many reasons I love her.

Her entire story arc is interesting, from blogger/comedian to internet stardom (albeit for all the wrong reasons), and her friends and family were so supportive and made for a fabulous cast of characters. If I were in Izzy's position, I'd love to have a friend like Ajita, who no matter what happened, was always there, just as witty as Izzy (if not funnier sometimes) and 100% understanding. She never judged Izzy for her actions, nor did she listen to those telling her she could do with better friends, and her loyalty never wavered. Even when rifts appeared in the little trio we're introduced to, Ajita remains faithful to both her friends, and doesn't let group politics intercept her individual relationships.

The one character I regarded with a pinch of salt was Danny. A friend since childhood, Danny should have been there for Izzy, sticking by her just like Ajita, but instead we see turmoil, torn between friend and wanting to be more. Only, when his affections aren't reciprocated and the internet leak causes havoc, Danny doesn't stand by his friend, and instead acts ridiculously privileged. It makes for a very interesting dynamic, fueling the story perfectly, as well as combating the dreaded topic of the 'friend-zone'(done brilliantly by the way).

"I get why he's lashing out. As a privileged white dude, he's used to being able to buy whatever he wants. He lives in a country where even the presidency can be bought. But he can't buy my love. And that frustrates the hell out of him."

Of course, there were a couple of things I struggled to wrap my head around. For starters, this is written by a UK author, but is based in America, which made it difficult for me to distinguish between what I know to be school life here in the UK, and what I've seen/heard/read about in regards to the education system in the US. This wasn't necessarily a problem, but it did make me wonder why Laura had written it from a US point of view (maybe I'm being stupid and I've got my wires crossed, but I was confused).

In addition to this, the premise is focused on the implications of a sex scandal with a politicians son, but for the majority of this story that remains a background topic. Sure, it's kick started by this big event involving the dreaded photo, but it's definitely not the major focus, only the spark. I would still have picked this book up regardless, and definitely recommend that everyone reads this, mainly for the humour if you aren't bothered about the feminism, but I think I was expecting something a little different. And boy, I'm glad this wasn't what I was expecting, because it was so much better than that, but if you're expecting something that focuses on politics, you'll be let down.

Overall I fell in love with this story, and love the way in which it combats what people see as feminism. Okay, Izzy isn't perfect, her life is a mess and what happens to her is something that is seen as 'slutty', but her way of dealing with things, the support she receives, and her entire story is just so heart-warming and needed that I would happily shove this book into any teenage girls hands and urge her to read it straight away. I can't wait to see what Laura Steven does next.

"Bitches bite back. And men hate that. Society hates that."

OMG! The love I have for this book.

Reading this book has made me question things, for example: how come in most circumstances the girl is shamed for what she decides to do with her body, when it takes two to tango (meaning there are two people involved). 

This book was quite funny considering the seriousness of the storyline, it amazes me how the author managed to do that without ruining anything. Though there were some unnecessary jokes that weren’t needed. 

I think the main character was very strong and inspirational, she did some defaults such as a certain incident with her best friend Ajita. I would like it if she spoke worldwide of her opinions to the press maybe but I did like the blogs at the end so that was good enough. There were some characters that made my blood boil (especially Danny) but I know that that was what the author wanted and she succeeded. 

My overall opinion on the exact opposite of okay is that it is a captivating story that tangles you into it. For The People that See my review I promise this book will take you into a whole other world. X

This book deals with so many important issues that the media loves to gloss over such as slut shaming, double standards for men and women, revenge porn and the marginalisation of disadvantaged people every single day. 
Hats off to Laura Stevenson for talking about these issues without sugar-coating it as well as writing a compelling and fast paced novel that I absolutely flew threw. The majority of the book itself is written in the form of blogposts written by the main character – Izzy O’Neil. She’s witty, funny and sarcastic as hell. There were quite a few laugh out loud moments throughout the novel. I also loved the frequent references to Donald Trump and Game of Thrones. 
Also can every other YA novel be as diverse and inclusive as this one? This novel includes characters from many different religious and ethnic backgrounds, different classes as well as homosexual and disabled characters WITHOUT making offensive comments. I know I’m shook! Like seriously other YA authors need to up their game. 
I especially loved Ajita, Izzy’s Nepali Hindu best friend who I found to very relatable, 
The social comments made in this book were spot on! Women shouldn’t be judged or chastised for wanting to have sex or deciding to abstain. Slut-shaming is wrong a women should be able decide what she wants to do with her body. It’s no one else’ business. Furthermore, I was pleased by how the double standards for men and women are brought to light in this novel. Vaughan and Izzy have sex and whereas Izzy is ridiculed, called a whore and is objectified by her peers is ripped by the media, there’s barely any comments made against Vaughan. Because guess what? He’s rich and he’s white. As Izzy puts it ‘… if you’re a woman, you’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t. If you refrain from any expression of sexiness, you may be written off as irrelevant and unfeminine, but if you follow the male-written guidelines, you run the risk of being judged, shamed and policed.’
To conclude this is a fabulous important YA contemporary novel with an excellent critique of society woven in with the main plot of the story. If any of this interests you – go read!

This is one of those books that EVERYONE should read; it’s the kind of book that should be studied in schools, because the subjects that this book deals with are so important and relevant. It explores the Friend Zone, revenge porn, the self-entitled Nice Guys. It explores privileges. <b>It explores how, in our culture, boys are congratulated for their sexual conquests - they are ‘lads’, while girls are whores and sluts when they engage in the same behaviour.</b>

When I first started <I>The Exact Opposite of Okay</I>, I wasn’t entirely sure I liked the writing style (Izzy tells the story through blog posts, with the occasional gag or anecdote added in), but I absolutely adored it once I got into the story! 

After a party in which she has two one night stands, Izzy’s life is turned upside down when someone creates a blog dedicated to her, ah, whoredom. And worse? The blog is complete with pictures of her having sex on a bench, and also of a nude sent to a senator’s son, in reply to his dick pic. And while Izzy is made into a social pariah, demonised by the media and attacked by politicians, the boys who had sex with her and sent her explicit pictures? Still on the basketball team, offered a place to study at Stanford.

This book really makes you think. It makes you think about how much pressure is on girls and women; pressure to look a certain way, to act a certain way, and speak a certain way. The injustices that Izzy faced made me so angry; she was constantly put down, constantly torn apart and judged by people she didn’t know. Hell, even some of her teachers judged her and leered at her. 

Izzy is definitely one of the strongest heroines I’ve read about. She cries, and she lets things get to her, but she doesn’t give up, despite wanting to sometimes. Despite literally having people tell her to go and kill herself, she carries on going. And, when she screws something up quite magnificently, she actually holds her hands up and admits it. She doesn’t moan about how the world has it out for her, but takes responsibility for her actions and tries to make it right again. I adored her, in all her sarcastic glory. 

Ajita, Izzy’s best friend, also needs a mention because she is a low key super star and you’re gonna fall deeply and madly in love with her. Her friendship with Izzy is probably the best female friendship I’ve ever come across; they know each other so well, they love each other so much, and they roast each other constantly. Their banter is a blessing this world does not deserve, and I can only hope to someday have half the friendship that they do. 

This book is so important, and it’s done so, so well. I’m going to shove it into the faces of everyone I come across. 

*thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a free copy*

I expected this book to be feminist. I knew it would be timely. Its core message and activist leanings didn't surprise me at all. What I didn't expect was for this book to be so flipping funny. It's a given that the style (casual, guileless, sometimes flippant) isn't for everyone, but hell, I had a good time. 

I didn't think I'd enjoy reading a story about a girl who's slut-shamed by not just her community, but basically the whole Internet--these kinds of things usually scream "make my blood boil" more than "fun experience"--but no reason to lie about it, I did. Not because of the mountain of victim blaming and chauvinism, mind you. But all the other stuff, by which I mean Izzy O'Neill's infectious optimism, yes please, let's have more of it.

The Exact Opposite of Okay manages to tread that line of being passionate but not preachy. It's shocking and revelatory at the same time, so that you think could this really happen? one moment and the next it's of course this could happen, in fact I've seen it happen. I wondered many times over the course of the novel if what I was seeing was really plausible, because I just couldn't fathom how so many people could be so wrong, but then it's quite easy to turn to real life and realise that yeah, so many people can be so utterly wrong. And yeah, all the shit that goes down in The Exact Opposite of Okay could probably happen in middle America, no big deal.

Part of what makes Izzy's story so effective is how personal it is. Yes, she's cosmopolitan and open-minded as befits a YA contemporary heroine, but it's not her goal to start an activist revolution. Far from it. She's an aspiring screenwriter/comedian living with her grandma since the early death of her parents, trying only to scrape by. While this is the perfect start to the tragic sob-story background that unfortunately turns lots of protagonists into parodies of each other, Izzy doesn't let it get in the way. She spends the whole book holding her head high, and even when you want to scream at her that it's okay to feel a tad sorry for herself when she's drawn the shortest stick in the history of short sticks, you have to admire her gutsiness.

The Exact Opposite of Okay deals with big ideas like societal attitudes towards girls, sex and privacy, but it also deals with a great number of "small" ideas like Nice Guys, creepy school administrators, and when your friend no longer deserves to be your friend. (Hint: when they metaphorically hang, draw and quarter you satisfies the requirements.) These "small" ideas, banal enough that they don't get nearly the attention as sweeping discussions about sexual harassment, slut shaming and the like, are treated with just as much thoughtfulness as the hot-button issues. And that's a great thing.

So here we are, in the age of #MeToo, hopefully a watershed moment in gender relations. Time will tell. But whether you're following the latest news, and regardless of how invested you are in the movement, The Exact Opposite of Okay is still a brilliantly penned novel. Alternately hilarious and rage-inducing when it needs to be either, it's a compelling, insightful story that also happens to be socially relevant. Don't miss it.

Reading The Exact Opposite of Okay was not easy. It's horribly uncomfortable to see yourself reflected in one of the characters of a novel in a negative way. But that's one of the reasons why I think this book is so important and so powerful. Yes, we need to teach our young girls about feminism, tell them "This is okay for you to do." and "This is not okay for people to do to you." But we also need to teach our boys and men. "This is not okay. This is harmful, this is destructive." For me personally, a big part of that was the brutally effective way Laura Steven rips into the 'Nice guy myth' and the 'Friendzone." She takes it apart, examines it and shows just how wrong it is as a mode of behaviour or system of belief. I think I'm lucky, in a way, that while I was reading it I was reflecting on past behaviours more than anything else. It would have been a lot more painful to read a year ago, but I think it may have helped me even more back then.
There is so much packed into this book, yet it is done with such style that it never feels forced or over the top. The events that rock Izzy O'Neill's world feel like they flow organically, the slut shaming, the revenge porn and their consequences all have a common origin rather than Izzy being hit from all sides at once by separate disasters that can make some narratives feel forced.
Izzy starts off so delightfully confident in herself and very uninhibited. The shaming comes from the reactions of the people around her, and the loss of control, with the fact that she loses the right to choose who sees her body, with the hypocritical judgement that sees the men applauded and the women denounced for the same behaviour. It's a very emotional journey, and one that moved me deeply. Yet Izzy's story is also told with a lot of humour. She's an incredibly endearing heroine, always cracking jokes no matter how dark things get. I often found I was laughing through the tears. The humour really helps lighten the tone, and although this is a novel with a very serious message, it somehow avoids being a heavy read.

I struggled with this. I couldnt take anything in. I restarted and it still didn't make it any better.
I couldnt connect or care about the characters.